What's in a name?

Folks get a kick out of the name, and I get this question a lot.  

I'm glad folks like the name, and connect with it in many ways. I had enough foresight to know I wanted to name the business something that reflected unity and solidarity in work and art.  I think it's perfect and I have every intention of trademarking. 

I've used  "PaperCuts" in lieu of pain points when talking about artist struggles, and I've also used "PaperCuts" to talk about where the heck is the cut ($) for the artist these days?!

Here is the origin story of  the name "PaperCut Society". Get your tissues. This is a story about loss, being lost, and getting found again.

In May 2023, my mom, who was battling cancer, decided she was done with all treatments. She lived in New York, in the very house I grew up in.  I offered to go out and be with her, but she wasn't ready for that. She insisted I wait for her invitation to visit. That was extremely difficult.

That same month, I was laid off from a nonprofit I had been with for five years. The way they did it was infuriating and unexpected; however, it released me from any obligations, allowing me to go to NY to be with my mom at any moment.

Waiting for my mom to be ready for my visit was intense. I had consistent therapy appointments, but still so much time on my hands. I turned to art  to help me get out of the house and out of my head. I joined a 6-week collage class at the community college. I sat in the back, quiet, just listening, observing, learning paper techniques. I cut paper and glued down my emotions into a book. By the third week, walking into that class brought a new level of belonging, camaraderie, and community around art. They never knew what I was going through at the time. 

In my head, I called this mid-day, easygoing summer class my "PaperCut Society." Referring to the pain that brought me there, and also to the activity that alleviated and the group that was rescuing me from myself without even knowing it. That community lifted me up and gave me a purpose and place. I had other things to think about, and to talk about, and to do with my hands. I belonged, no matter what. The more I learned there, the more I was also inspired to collage at home. 

Being part of this little PaperCut Society gave me more acceptance and confidence in myself through working with collage, and I was ready when I finally got the invitation to go to NY. My sister and I landed in NY on July 5th, and 18 days later, on July 23, our dear mom passed.

When I returned to Vancouver in August, I started a long stretch at a local ceramic studio that provided a similar holding space for me. You are just all lucky I didn't name things SlipHands Society...Okay! LOL YKIYK

Now I make sure I'm part of an art community all the time. It's part of my self care. It truly brings me joy, camaraderie, connection, and confidence to belong in, and be part of society.